Restoration

What IS restoration, anyway? I'm a big believer in frequenting the dictionary. I love to study the meaning of particular words, uninhibited. In our personal experiences, we have learned to apply various terms to various situations, sometimes unpleasant. So it's always refreshing to me to look up a word and study it from the dictionary. Webster's Dictionary defines restoration in 3 meanings. Of course they all mean the same thing, but are there to define different situations. Restoration to me is defined in the first meaning, letter "C"..."a restoring to an unimpaired or improved condition"...as in-I travelled the road of self destruction, picking up plenty of scars along the way, but God restored me as only He could.

Now...I must share a little bit about myself with you. First let me make a disclaimer. I am not perfect (I know some of you are laughing)...in fact, I'm FAR from that! I've made enough mistakes in my lifetime to make God cross His arms and shake His head, if He does things like that. I've argued enough times with Him that surely He would pass on by and give up on making something out of me! God isn't like that. My Mother taught me a lesson a few years back that forever changed my perspective. While we dive head-on into parts unknown and areas in which we don't belong...God never goes back on His Word. God never breaks a promise. God is God. Now and forever. No matter how I feel or what mistakes I make in life, God remains WHO He says He IS. So as I share my heart with you on this blog, I realize that everything I say and everything I am is because HE is Who He is. Not because of anything I've done. I'm just not THAT great!

So I love to write. I love to read and I love to lead. A couple of years ago, I learned what the gift of prophecy was. Why prophecy? Because after taking several spiritual gifts test, that was a predominant gift. Since I didn't know what it was, I didn't pursue anything related to it. At the time, I was utilizing my other spiritual gifts as the childcare coordinator at my church. Prophecy wasn't important to me. UNTIL...about this time last year. Under heavy conviction and out of arguments with the Lord over why I couldn't...I started teaching a ladies class on Sunday mornings. The conviction had been with me for about a year, but when I first experienced it, I was very pregnant with baby Luke. Not interested in studying the Bible while fighting back morning sickness and exhaustion. But you know God! He knows when we're going to be stubborn, and He knows sometimes it takes time to bring us to the place that He desires us to be. And guess what? Most of the time He wins, because He's got waaaay more patience! So...I truly love teaching the Bible. Since most of you know me so well...you know that it doesn't take a perfect person to teach the Bible. Just someone who's willing. And after all He's done for me...I'm willing!
Okay, more loves of my life include coordinating MOPS, working on the MOPS at Grace website, writing a monthly column for the MOPS newsletter ("Carmen Cents"), writing for the MOPS page on our website, "In The Twinkling Of An Eye", and teaching parenting classes when asked. I haven't done a parenting class in a couple of years, but being that my kids teach me DAILY lessons on being a Mom...I love to share those lessons with others.

And have I mentioned that I LOVE my family? My kids are wonderful (even though the frying pan is awfully tempting sometimes!), and my husband is amazing (not perfect, but a perfect gift from God for ME!), and not only are my favorite memories wrapped up with those 6 people, but also in the rest of my family. I LOVE when my Mother-in-law calls to invite us for a weekend visit. I love it when the whole side of Dean's family gets together. I LOVE it when my parents come eat Sunday lunch, or when my Mom and I go for lunch out. I LOVE it when my brother heads to TN for a visit. I LOVE family beach trips! And I can hardly wait for our annual beach trip in October, because THIS year, MY side of the family is going together (a comical groan from my honey!). "Fear not!" I tell him...If you offend anyone, they just won't speak to you for the week. Then you'll have peace! HA! When my side of the family gets together, I wind up having to change underwear (sorry Mom!), because we laugh so hard...well...you know. My Ma always tells stories of when we were little and tells of the antics of my late Pa (a navy man who taught me at a young age to sing "Barnacle Bill"). It is usually a perfect time together until we have to go our separate ways. My Pa went his separate way when I was 7 months pregnant with Scarlett. 6 years, 4 months ago. He trusted Christ and is now with Him. But what a time! Anyway...Pa was a favorite, too.

So what expectation can you have for this blog, anyway? I'm a deep thinker on life and the things of God, so there will be plenty of thoughts shared on my perspective on life and my relationship with Him. Other days will likely be all funny! 'Cause I run a zoo at my house, and there's no way to avoid sharing that!!! Most of all, you can expect honesty. You can expect inspiration, because the things I write and teach so many times are inspired...not coming from my TN ridge-runnin' hillbilly mind (thanks Ma!).

In the words of my beloved Hickory Grove family...
Sit back
Relax
And watch what happens!